Tuesday, September 18, 2001 Q'way tops all, as usual   By Tom Hennessy Staff columnist When the tragedy took place last week, most Americans rose to the occasion. A very few did not. Among the latter: the mayor and council of Long Beach. The day after canceling last Tuesday's council meeting, while the nation grieved and everything from stock markets to ballparks were closed, City Hall decided to have a meeting after all. Only one item was on the agenda: approval of the land-swap that paves the way for the Queensway Bay development. The meeting was held Thursday. They put a pious face on it via a hastily contrived "prayer vigil" held 45 minutes earlier, then approved the land swap 8-1, Ray Grabinski dissenting. Grabinski had moved that the meeting be postponed, but could not even get a second. City Manager Henry Taboada said it was necessary to vote before the State Lands Commission met the following Monday. They could have met Saturday, after Friday's National Day of Mourning. Or asked the commission to delay its meeting. But no. While America mourned, in Long Beach it was Queensway Bay business as usual. Have these people lost all touch with reality? Tom Hennessy's viewpoint appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He can be reached at (562) 499-1270, or via e-mail at Scribe17@aol.com